According to a statement released Wednesday on Fairview's athletics website, "Administrators were aware on Friday night that two students in our student cheering section made two impromptu, hand-written signs that were absolutely unacceptable and we most certainly apologize for that. We will not share what was written on the signs to protect the student involved. However, the comments were NOT racially motivated or related. The signs were quickly confiscated and the students were reminded of appropriate sporting event conduct."

The concerns in Oberlin remain deeper than a few signs.

Omar Beckman said Wednesday that he and his wife, Terra, were at home Friday night when they received messages about the game. Their daughter, Aila, is a cheerleader for Oberlin. She said Wednesday night that racial slurs were made by Fairview students toward her cheerleading coach.

"They didn't do anything about," said Aila Beckman, a junior. "Students were making racial comments."

According to Beckman, chants began after the national anthem and were directed toward Oberlin's basketball team and cheerleaders.

She said one chant was directed toward the team about a missing player and another, "Lock her up," to the cheerleaders. Aila Beckman added the chant toward the cheerleaders was in response to another cheerleader pointing out a fan making mocking gestures.

Both Aila Beckman and her father, Omar, said they believe the chants were rooted in last week's Elyria shooting death of 19-year-old Cody Snyder. Two teenage boys have been charged in the case. Omar Beckman, who said he knew Snyder from work, suspects Fairview students learned of those juveniles' ties to Oberlin.

The heckling got so bad, Aila Beckman said, that the cheerleaders left the game early in the third quarter.

"This one boy got into Devan's face," she said, referring to Oberlin basketball player Devan Yarber. "Devan slid off the court. He was clapping into his face. The same boy clapped in my face."

Omar Beckman said his concern is that not enough was done to quell the Fairview students before tipoff, and his daughter or fellow cheerleaders should not have felt threatened to the point of an early exit.

"My wife got some disjointed messages from my daughter and other people," Omar Beckman said. "We were getting snippets of information. When we realized there was a chance of stuff going on, I called the Fairview police. The sergeant told me that the police have been sent, and they called Rocky River for backup."

According to a Fairview Park police report, a caller reported "things are getting heated at the basketball game." The report confirmed Rocky River police were called for backup, and added, "Oberlin was escorted to their bus and left the area without incident."

Beckman asked Wednesday if signs are allowed at basketball games. According to the OHSAA's game management guide, they are considered "irritants" and are allowed or prohibited under a site manager's discretion.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.